For wind ensembles and concertos, please use one player per part. For symphonies and concert pieces, more players may be used as desired. David’s full statement.

Movements

Today Is the Great Day of Suffering

We Believe In One God

Your Soul and Your Dreams Are Instantaneous…

Unforgettable Wounds

It Is Enough

Commissioned by

Stephen K. Steele for percussionist David Collier and the Illinois State University Wind Symphony. The following schools, conductors and organizations have contributed support for this project. The music is dedicated to them with deepest appreciation.

Illinois State University, School of Music and the College of Fine Arts

Illinois State University, Tau Beta Sigma

Iowa State University – Barry Larkin

Messiah College – Bradley Genevro

New Mexico State University – Ken Van Winkle

North Dakota State University – Warren Olfert

Northwestern University – Mallory Thompson

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville – John Bell

St. Olaf – Tim Mahr

St. Thomas – Matt George

Stephen F. Austin University – Fred Allen

Tennessee Tech University – Joe Hermann

Texas Tech University – Sarah McKoin

Towson State University – Dana Rothlisberger

University of Florida – David Waybright

University of Kentucky – Cody Birdwell

University of Missouri – Tom O’Neal

University of North Carolina Greensboro – John Locke

University of South Carolina – Jim Copenhaver

University of Southern Mississippi – Tom Frascillo

University of Texas at El Paso – Ronald Hufstader

University of Wisconsin Milwaukee – Tom Dvorak

Program Note

The word “book” gives the feeling of a larger collection of material, something extensive and varied, and something that may have a story to tell. And there are two David’s involved, myself and David Collier, for whom this piece was written.

Because of my longtime and persistent use of chorale melodies, it has been suggested that I am somehow proselytizing for the Christian faith. This is not the case. My attraction to these melodies is that they are the product of countless generations of human seeding, and have about them an aura of depth and power.

They invariably unlock something unknown and powerful in my imagination. That they have overtones of spirit (fundamentals as well) is not a bad thing. Music is about spirit, and about finding one’s connection to a “bigger” self and to universals. If it didn’t do this, we would find something that did. Every path to spirit is a good path, whatever the label.

The story told by the movement titles is unspoken, and personal to each hearer. The titles are mere hints that can open the mind and heart in different ways. Chorale melodies from the 371 Four-Part Chorales by J.S. Bach are the starting points for the first, second and fifth movement. I have taken only the melodies; harmonizations are my own.

I. Today Is the Great Day of Suffering (Heu’ist, o Mensch, ein grosser Traurertag)
II. We Believe in One God
(Wir glauben all’ in einen Gott)
V. It Is Enough
(Es ist genug)

The titles of the 3rd and 4th movements are images from the book “The Old Gringo” by the Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes.

Program note by David Maslanka

Further Reading

Maslanka Weekly highlights excellent performances of David Maslanka’s music from around the web. This week we feature three of David's works that specifically refer to "wounds" of some kind: First Light, "Chorale - O Sacred Head Now Wounded" from Hosannas, and "Unforgettable Wounds" from David's Book.